Variable racing game apparatus



Sept. 1, 1953 A. F. BURKARDT VARIABLE RACING GAME APPARATUS Filed Nov. 8, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 NUPx lnvenfor Anion l-T Burkardl' r r WWW, 7

Sept. 1, 1953 A. F. BURKARDT VARIABLE RACING GAME APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 8, 1949 A/fomeys A m F m m mu R W V an an A a k? \m k? m k mm wm w m? Patented Sept. 1, 1953 UNIT STATES PATEN T OF F l C E.

VARIABLE It-homo ArP-ARATUS Anton F. :Burkardt, New York, N. Y.

Application November 8, 1949. Serial No; 126,172

This invention relatesto variable racing game apparatus and has for its object theprovision-of a device of the class described which may be played by adults and which also may be used-as an animated toy by children.

Another object is to provide anamusement device wherein a plurality offiguressuch ashorseback riders, automobiles, dogs or any other figures are-arranged to travel in a course simnla ing arace track, said figures being driven by simple means easily operated'by the user and which will cause all saidfigures to advance along the track until one of themreac-hes the finish line; itce'ing practically impossible for the user to predetermine the winner.

Further obj ectsandadvantages will-be apparent from the following specification and accompanying drawings wherein; byway of illustration, apreferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed; It will be understood however, that variousmodificationsmay be made in the con-- struction disclosed without departing from the scope of the invention, which is as definedin the appended claims.

lEn-the accompanyingdrawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of ail-amusement device embodying th invention;

Figure 2 is a'v-iew'ot the winding mechanism used in the device shown iii-Figure 1 withthe cover removed and in starting position;

Figure 3'-is-a fragmentary view of the mechanism Figure 2 with the Winding shaft moved to the extreme right;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure Swith the shaft moved to th left;

Figure 5 is a viewpartly in section of an alternate type of operating mechanism which can'be used. instead of that shown in the preceding fig-' ures; and

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the machanism shown in Figure 5.

Referring to Fig. l the numeral If! denotes the baseboard of the device which may be suitably colored to simulate a race tack. This has asuitable mark or indication at H to indicate the starting line for the horses or other figures I2 to l! inclusive.

At the right hand end of the baseboard as shown in the drawing is-mounteda suitable ca-sing 3 for thewinding-mechanism which'is provided with a removable cover !9. The ends ofthiscasing are slotted as indicated at toreceive ends 21, 22 of a shaft which extends througi the casing, as best seen in Fig. 2, the arrangement beingsuch that when the cover I9 is removed, the shaft can be easily removed from the casing in order to renew or adjust the cordswhich will presently be referred to.

While the shaft having journalled ends 2!, .22 maybe-of any form, the contour ofsame isi r regular asindicated by the enlarged sections 23 to 28 inclusive; The shaft also has the reduced sections 2 -8 to 34,;i-nclusive. It will be understood that the general con-tour of the shaft may vary within wide limits.

Theshaiftis provided at one or both ends with crank handles-as indicated at 35. Figures 12: to l l inclusi've are connected to cords 3.5 to 4'! ino-lusi v-e which pass throughapertures in the side wall of the casing 1.8., one of these apertures being'i'ndicated' by thenumeral 42.

Itwill be noted from :a study of the drawings that the winding shaft contains sections of larger and smaller diametersindicated by the numerals 23 to .34, inclusive-and may be moved in two directions; This shaft is generally indicated by the numeral 43 and may be revolved by turning the crank .35'and at the same time or at any time, the: shaftmay also be moved longitudinally, the bearing surfaces 24, 22 thereof being of suiiicient length to allow the shaft to be moved from its normal or central; position as shown in Fig. 2 to theextreme rightas shown in Fig. 3, until the collar 44 on said shaft is brought into contact with'the inner Wall of the end member llicit-he casing, 18. Also,- ii the shaft is moved to the extreme left as in Fig; 4,- the collar 46 will be brought into-engagement with the lefthand end H -of casing It.

It will now be seen that if all the figures 52 to I? inclusive'are brought to the starting line I i or lined up at any other mark transverse the baseboard- H]; the cordsfiiiail inclusive will all be in the position-shown in Fig. 2. But, if as the shaft 43 is revolved" and is moved longitudinally to the pesition shown in Fig. 3, then the cords Sit-ill inclusive will each beas-ubjected to a different rate of wind-upand, if the shaft is moved to the left, as shown in- Fig. 4, the rate of wind-up of each cord will again be varied. This is because of the factthatthe; wind-up'of each cord depends on theresultant of three components, to Wit; (a) the rotary motion of the shaft," (b) the diameter of the shaft such as 28,33 on which a cord such as- 4;! is being wound at any particular'i'nstant; and (c) the change in said'diameterdue to the longitudinal motion of theshaft.

The result is; again taking cord 4|, for example,thatlstarting with the shaft 43 in the position shown in Fig. 2- and rotating it clockwise (looking at the right hand end), the cord 4|; starting at Ma will rapidly advance the figure I! connected thereto as the cord rolls over the enlarged portion 28 of the shaft, but as soon as the cord reaches the reduced diameter 33 as indicated at 4Ib, the forward movement of figure I! is diminished but is again increased when the cord reaches the enlarged diameter 21 of the shaft.

Also referring to cord 39, it starts to move from the position 39a on the enlarged diameter 26 but decreases its movement when it reaches the small diameter or neck 26a, but rapidly increases when the part 3% thereof encounters the enlarged portion 3Ia of the shaft.

In some cases the cords actually cross each other as indicated in Fig. 4. Here the cord 4| starting at Ma is first wound over the reduced diameter 33 as indicated at 41b, and then, because of the longitudinal movement of the shaft, crosses itself as indicated at Me, and passes over the large diameter 28.

The result is that when the shaft 43 is operated in the manner described (and it requires no skill to so operate it as the user merely revolves the shaft and at the same time moves it longitudinally), while the movement of the figures l2 to H inclusive is always forward, the rate of said movement is continual and practically unpredictable to the user of the device and to the onlookers.

First one of the figures will advance rapidly, then slow up, then another figure will advance and perhaps almost reach the finish line 48 and then drop back while another figure advances. The result is a perfect simulation of a horse race in miniature and up to the last second or two it is impossible for an onlooker to predict the winner.

It will be noted that the shaft or spindle 43 is easily constructed of wood or the like, that the entire device is simple to manufacture and may i therefore be sold as a toy.

Obviously the device may be made of any size and if desired the figures I2 and I1 inclusive can be mounted on rollers and provided with live riders where the device is used for outdoor amusement in parks, carnivals or the like.

In Figs. and 6 is shown an alternate form of the device. Here, instead of the shaft 43 as previously described, a shaft 49 is employed which is of irregular contour but having the enlarged and reduced sections as described in connection with the shaft 43, or being constructed so that the shaft 49 has a plurality of cam surfaces having the outwardly extending lobes 49a, 49b, 49c, 49d and 49e and the cut-away portions of less average diameter 49), 499 and 49h.

When the cams just referred to are used, the shaft need not be moved longitudinally as described in connection with shaft 43, but may be mounted for such longitudinal motion, in which event it will be obvious that the variation of movement produced by the cam surfaces would be varied by said longitudinal motion.

Three cords which may be connected to the figures are indicated at 50, 5| and 52 and, as the figures are exactly the same in this modification as in the device described in connection with Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, the figures are not shown and described in detail, but one is indicated at 53 on the outer end of cord 50.

The inner ends of the cords, instead of being fastened to the shaft 43 as previously described, are secured to spools, one of which is indicated at 54 and, as all of these spools are alike, only one will be described.

The spools are mounted on a shaft to which is secured a rubber-tired wheel 55. The spools are revolved by the wheels 55 bearing against the cam surfaces on the shaft 49. The spools and wheels are mounted in suitable hearings in the outer end of a sleeve 56 slidably mounted in a socket 51 and urged outwardly therefrom by a spring 58. The sleeve 51 is suitably mounted in an upright 59 which in this modification would be equivalent to the front of the casing I8, the cam being mounted in a suitable casing in the manner described in connection with the shaft 43.

The action of the modified device just described is substantially the same as that shown in Figs. 2 to 4, inclusive, and the same practically infinite number of variations in the relative position of the figures can be obtained.

The modification shown in Figs. 5 and 6 is particularly useful where it is desired to complete a race with a single turn of the cam shaft 49 and the contour of said shaft may be made large enough to accomplish this. It will also be noted that said contour varies not only diametrically but also longitudinally, as indicated in section in Fig. 6.

It will be observed from the foregoing that the figures are movable along the base in substantially parallel lines and that by turning the shaft at a uniform angular velocity, the figures Will be moved at relatively varying linear speeds.

This is accomplished either by the shaft arrangement shown in Figs. 1 and 4 or by the modification shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device of the character described, a supporting framework including a baseboard having a pair of upstanding members secured thereto and adapted to support a shaft therebetween; a rotatable shaft supported by said members and longitudinally movable therein and having a plurality of sections integral with said shaft, said sections being of varying diameters along the length of said shaft, each of said sections having an arcuate profile extending in the axial plane of said shaft, each of said profiles differing from the profile of any other section; a plurality of figures movably mounted on said baseboard; and a flexible member connected to each of said figures and to each of said shaft sections whereby said figures may be moved by rotating said shaft to Wind said flexible members about said sections of varying diameters while same are all revolving at the same axial speed.

2. In a device of the character described, a base, a plurality of figures supported on said base and adapted to be moved thereover in substantially parallel paths, a rectangular casing supported on said base and extending transversely thereof, and means in said casing including a shaft and flexible members secured directly thereto and operatively connected to said figures for moving same as aforesaid at relatively variable linear speeds as said shaft is revolved at any given radial speed, said flexible members being wound around arcuate profiles on said shaft, each of said profiles being different from any other profile.

3. In a variable racing game apparatus, a base; a plurality of figures supported on said base and adapted to be moved thereover in substantially parallel paths; a casing having upstanding side walls supported on said base and extending transversely thereof, said side walls having U- shaped slots therein extending downwardly toward said base; a shaft supported on the bottom of said U-shaped slots, said shaft being adapted to be removed and replaced in said slots as a unit, said shaft being longitudinally slidable in said slots, said shaft having a plurality of sections integral therewith of varying diameters, each of said sections having an arcuate profile extending in the axial plane of said shaft, each of said arcuate profiles difiering from the profile of any other section; and flexible members connected to said figures and to said shaft to move said figure as said. flexible members are wound about said arcuate profiles by the revolution of said shaft, said figures being moved thereby at relatively variable linear speeds as said shaft is revolved.

ANTON F. BURKARDT.

References Cited in the file of this patent Number Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Seeker May 30, 1893 Truslow Mar. 31, 1903 Coxey Aug. 16, 1921 Hampson Sept. 5, 1922 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Mar. 8, 1923 Great Britain Aug. 22, 1947 

